Biometric machines in Afghan vote improve after last year's glitches

An election worker takes a picture by biometric device in the presidential election in Kabul, Afghanistan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail

KABUL (Reuters) - Biometric machines aimed at preventing fraud in Afghanistan's presidential election performed better than in a poll last year but still left voters waiting a long time to cast their ballots, election observers said on Saturday.

The machines were used for the first time in the October parliamentary poll, when many malfunctioned or failed to work altogether. Chaos during that vote was blamed on the machines' performance, along with incomplete voting lists and delays in holding the election.